FOX-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 103 



his fox. This invitation I readily accepted, and 

 so far I was most gratified. He found his fox 

 almost instantly, and in very excellent style. 

 His hallos were capital, and his ear unusually 

 quick. This was not all. We had a very 

 baffling fox on foot — very unwilling to break — 

 and his turns were short and frequent. The 

 pack and their Master, however, were quite a 

 match for him, and for about five minutes the 

 scene — witnessed only by ourselves — was en- 

 chanting. ' Have at him. Music, good bitch,' 

 halloed Matty. ' By Jove, th'ast better gang 

 away, for thou'lt die if thou don't. Have at 

 him. Cruiser, old fellow, but thou'lt have his 

 head in thy mouth before night.' Oh, that I 

 could give his view-hallos on paper, but that 

 can't be done. They were enough to raise a 

 man from the dead. 



''Mr. Wilkinson wished to see his hounds get 

 well away with their fox, and therefore stood 

 still and blew his horn ; but he should have 

 ridden on, and blown his horn ; for when we got 

 to the top of the covert, not a hound, except a 

 few that were with us, could we get sight of. 'I 

 know where they are gone,' said Mr. Wilkinson ; 

 ' you must follow me, for we shall never get over 

 that stelL' I did follow him, and he took me to 

 an awkward ford ; but we might just as well 

 have gone round by York. The hounds had a 

 capital run of an hour, and killed their fox, but 

 only in the presence of a chosen few, who were 

 bold enough and fortunate enough to get well 



